Hogwarts could not shield its students from everything, no matter how hard Albus Dumbledore tried. The seductive whisperings from the Dark Side seeped their way through every crack and crevice in the castle walls, crawling into the ears of the vulnerable children, offering them promises they had no intention of keeping. Cordelia Yaxley was no stranger to the temptation of the Dark Arts, and had succumbed to the surge of pleasure she felt whenever she chanted the cursed words. She felt powerful, important, and in control. Draco Malfoy had been refusing the dark whispers for years, but even he couldn't resist the feeling of joy he felt as he watched his victims fall to their knees, begging for mercy. As much as he hated to admit it, he loved every second of it. ( golden trio era ) ( half blood prince - )